On this day in 1943, an Anglo-American force launched Operation Avalanche near Salerno, Italy – the first major Allied assault on mainland Europe in World War II. They faced a determined German enemy and fierce counterattacks. And amid the desperate fighting, American troops held their ground and helped establish a foothold vital to the Italian campaign. Thousands made the ultimate sacrifice in the months long push north toward Rome. They are honored here, at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery. M